1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of melting a raw batch in a glass melt having a melting zone and a fining zone, the raw batch being continuously fed into the melting zone for the purpose of melting, and to a glass furnace comprising a melting tank with a melting compartment, the said melting tank communicating with a forehearth and being provided with firing means, and a charging device on the roof of the melting tank over the melting compartment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A method of this kind is known from German Patent Specification No. 1,471,875, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,167,191 corresponding thereto. According to this known method, the raw batch is fed into the entrance of the melting zone and is melted in the melting zone and subsequently flows through the fining zone in the direction of a forehearth. In this known method there is a risk of accumulation, irregular melting and segregation of the raw batch. During the melting and fining process, convection currents are developed in the glass melt which are difficult to control, cause large temperature differences in the glass melt and hamper proper homogenizing of the glass melt.
German Patent Specification No. 1,596,446, and British Patent Specification No. 1,128,483 corresponding thereto, describes a method which aims to eliminate these drawbacks; however, for performing this method a special, cylindrical furnace construction including means which serve to create a circular flow in the glass melt are required.
From British Pat. Specification No. 1,032,298 it is known per se to apply a raw batch in the form of pellets; however, the pellets are fed via a funnel, so that no uniform distribution of the pellets over the melting zone can be achieved.
A furnace of this kind is known from the said German Patent Specification No. 1,596,446, in which the raw batch, however, is fed via a funnel in the roof of the melting tank, so that a uniform distribution of the raw batch over the surface of the glass melt and a fast and homogeneous melting of the raw batch cannot be obtained by means of this device.